Christopher Shields

Order in Multiplicity

Homonymy in the Philosophy of Aristotle

Christopher Shields

Description

Aristotle attaches particular significance to the homomyny of many of the central concepts in philosophy and science: that is, to the diversity of ways of being that are denoted by a single concept. Shields here investigates and evaluates Aristotle's approach to questions about homonymy, characterizing the metaphysical and semantic commitments necessary to establish the homonymy of a given concept. Then, in a series of case studies, he examines in detail some of Aristotle's principal applications of homonymy--to the body, sameness and oneness, life, goodness, and being. This first full-length study of a central aspect of Aristotle's thought will interest philosophers working in a number of areas.

Order in Multiplicity

Homonymy in the Philosophy of Aristotle

Christopher Shields

Table of Contents

Part I: Homonymy as Such 1. The Varieties of Homonymy2. The Promises and Problems of Homonymy3. Signification4. Core-Dependent HomonymyPart II: Homonymy at Work 5. The Body6. Oneness, Sameness, and Referential Opacity7. The Meaning of Life8. Goodness9: Being. Afterword: Homonymy's Promise ReconsideredIndex LocorumGeneral IndexBibliography